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While many web designers and graphic designers have become familiar with the Gimp, or GNU Image Manipulation Program, its capabilities have been outweighed by how difficult it is to use.  Gimp can produce amazing graphic images and manipulate photos, but is still seen as outmoded when it comes to being user-friendly.

Enter Gimpshop.

Here is what the Gimpshop website has to say about their free, open source fix for those that want to master the possibilities of Gimp without bursting a blood vessel out of frustration:

GIMPshop is a modification of the free/open source GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), intended to replicate the feel of Adobe Photoshop. Its primary purpose is to make users of Photoshop feel comfortable using GIMP.

It shares all GIMP’s advantages, including the long feature list and customisability, while addressing some common criticisms regarding the program’s interface: GIMPshop modifies the menu structure to closely match Photoshop’s, adjusts the program’s terminology to match Adobe’s, and, in the Windows version, uses a plugin called ‘Deweirdifier’ to combine the application’s numerous windows in a similar manner to the MDI system used by most Windows graphics packages. While GIMPshop does not support Photoshop plugins, all GIMP’s own plugins, filters, brushes, etc. remain available.

How could this revolutionize the way you build, create, and alter graphic images in web design and far beyond?  Think of the possibilities-and then remember that on top of all that, it’s free!

Gimpshop is definitely worth a shot if you are looking for a familiar environment whose parameters you are comfortable working within, all while having a multitude of users working to hone and shape this program into a design behemoth.

Give Gimpshop a try and see if you think it’s worth the hype.  You may be very pleased with what you ultimately discover.

About the Author:

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of the career training. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com. Kelly is a regular contributor to education and technology blogs.  She enjoys writing from knowledge and research and enjoys learning new things every day.

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Tags: adobe photoshop, alternative software, article, creative, design, Graphics, Open Source, Resources